Scheme to Defraud in Pinellas County
Detectives in the Economic Crimes Unit (ECU) of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office investigate crimes involving a scheme to defraud. Many of these cases involve a long term trusted employee who steals from their employer. After an arrest, the suspect will be transported to the Pinellas County Jail. The bond amount set by the court might correlate with the amount of the alleged theft.
If a person enters a plea to scheme to defraud, they will not be eligible to seal their record of their arrest or prosecution, even for a first offense. The goal in many of these cases is getting the charge reduced to a lesser offense of Organized Fraud under Florida Statute Section 817.034(4)(a), which can include grand theft or petit theft.
Attorney for Scheme to Defraud in Pinellas County, FL
If you are under investigation for scheme to defraud in Pinellas County, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at Sammis Law Firm. We can help you decide how to fight the accusation or resolve the case before trial.
Our attorneys fight cases throughout Pinellas County after an arrest in any of the 24 incorporated municipalities, including St. Petersburg, Gulfport, Pinellas Park, Clearwater, Safety Harbor, Dunedin, Seminole, Tarpon Springs, St. Pete Beach, or Largo, FL.
Contact us for an initial consultation to discuss the criminal charges pending against you, the typical penalties imposed, and the best way to aggressively fight the criminal charges for scheme to defraud or theft.
Visit the Pinellas office of Sammis Law Firm at 14010 Roosevelt Blvd, Suite 701, Clearwater, FL 33762-3820.
Call 727-210-7004.
Elements of Scheme to Defraud
The elements of “scheme to defraud” that must be proven at trial include:
- the defendant acted in an ongoing and continuing series of acts;
- intended to defraud another person or company;
- by obtaining something of value; and
- through one of the following acts:
- fraudulent or false promises;
- fraudulent or false representations
- fraudulent or false endorsements of nonconsenting parties;
- fraudulent or false promises; or
- willful misrepresentations of a future act.
The fraud might involve the use of technology, including the Internet, mail, wire, telephone, or other types of communication. Each act can be charged separately, dramatically increasing the bond amount, the score under the sentencing guidelines, and the potential maximum sentence.
Penalties for Organized Fraud Schemes in Pinellas County, FL
Because these crimes often involve the theft of goods or services that take place repeatedly over time, the prosecutor at the State Attorney’s Office in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, in Pinellas County, FL, might charge the crime as a scheme to defraud to have an easier time prosecuting all that occurred. In this case, the aggregate value of the property can be used.
The punishment available under the Florida Organized Scheme to Defraud Statute depends on the amount of the loss as explained in Section 817.034(4)(a) which provides:
- a loss of less than $20,000 is a third-degree felony
- a loss of $20,000 or more but less than $50,000 is a second-degree felony
- a loss of $50,000 or more is a first-degree felony
This article was last updated on Monday, October 13, 2025.
